Scammers use fake names from TV stations

If you’re a caterer or restaurant and you get an order from a Sharon or Tiffany from WPLG Channel 10, you may be a potential victim in a South Florida TV scam.

The Pembroke Park station recently posted a story about someone claiming to represent WPLG who calls and places food orders to be delivered to other locations. A similar scheme has also happened at WSVN Channel 7.

“When the food is dropped off, the scammers tell the restaurant owners to go to Channel 10 for payment,’’ according to WPLG. “Of course once they get here, we don’t know what they’re talking about because we didn’t place the food order.”

At least five businesses have been tricked. The names the callers are using are Sharon and Tiffany.

“We want to alert all caterers and restaurant owners that Channel 10 is not placing these orders,’” the station announced, adding that its investigative team is on the case.

WSVN, located in North Bay Village in Miami-Dade, also recently reported that at least two restaurants were affected by similar scams.

Employees from Zubi Fish House in Little Haiti and Butter Flakes Bakery in Tamarac said they were ripped by off by a woman who claimed to work for the Fox affiliate in December.

In the Zubi Fish House incident, an employee of the eatery told the station that a woman who said she was a WSVN news manager ordered about $500 worth of seafood dishes to be delivered to a Marriott hotel in downtown Miami. After the food was delivered, a woman wearing a red WSVN badge told Perez that she go to the North Bay Village station to get paid.

“No one from 7News ordered catering, and the woman Yadira was talking to does not work for 7News,” WSVN reporter Brian Entin said in the station’s story.

Miami police were looking into the case and suggested that businesses should always collect their payments up front.